Dancing in the Kingdom- Table of Contents
Dancing In the Kingdom – Part 3 – Dancing in the Kingdom– Chapter 15 – Reforming our Souls
Discipline of Submission
[Bible references: Romans 13; 1 Corinthians 16:16-17; Ephesians 5:21; Hebrews 13:15-17; 1 Peter 5:1-7]
Mutual accountability
Despite what the world may think, there is nothing weak in being strong in the spiritual discipline of submission. However, it is one of the most difficult disciplines to practice. We want to be independent and strong, and we don’t want people to walk all over us. An important part of developing the spiritual discipline of submission is to balance when to be open and humble with knowing when not to let people take advantage of us.
As Christians, we are accountable to God. We know that we should confess our sins to Him and that He sees all that we do. Yet, we are also accountable to others around us. In allowing ourselves to be accountable, we also become more open to direction. Taking criticism well is difficult, which is why submission is a spiritual discipline. It takes effort to take criticism well. It’s far easier to be defensive and dismissive of what we’re being told is wrong. Yet when someone has developed the spiritual discipline of submission, they are able to not only take criticism and direction well, but they actually remain open to it.
Priority of listening
When we practice the spiritual discipline of submission, we learn more about ourselves, we become far more patient, we learn humility, and we understand how to be honest with others and ourselves. By allowing ourselves to be accountable and open to direction we become stronger in our faith, because we no longer have to hide our weaknesses from others. We are able to listen to others with minds that are open, and we break the cycle of always thinking of ourselves first. When we learn to be submissive, we learn to put ourselves in God’s hands far more, which allows us to build our relationship with Him. Saying we’re going to be more submissive is fine but putting it into action is a whole other thing.
Guarding against abuse
Of all the Spiritual Disciplines none has been more abused than the discipline of submission. Somehow the human species has an extraordinary knack for taking the best teaching and turning it to the worst ends. Nothing can put people into bondage like religion, and nothing in religion has done more to manipulate and destroy people than a deficient teaching on submission. However, each the aim of each discipline is to gain freedom, the freedom to be who we were meant to be.
The corresponding freedom to submission is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way. Instead, in the face escalating demands and counter-demands and strong wills needing impose their own way, we can offer the grace of silence. Biblical submission focuses primarily on the way we view other people, not in terms of our hierarchical relationships but on the attitude of mutual subordination and mutual respect, valuing people for themselves without demanding the same in return, for it is far better to serve our neighbor than to have our own way.
Observe
Read Romans 13:1; Ephesians 5:21; 1 Peter 5:5-7. What is our motivation for humility?
Dancing In The Kingdom 